End of spring, the temperatures starting to rise and soon the desert cool hiking season will be over and the summer furnace will come.
We catch the last day of the spring with reasonable temperatures and went hiking
from the Rahaf wadi cliffs up to Massada.

Wadi Rahaf is well known as a snepling site, but for those who like firm ground under their foots a hiking trail was marked above the canyon from which small trails lead to accessible points of interest.
At down we met in the Masada parking lot where we left the more valuable car, and continued with my jalopy that lots of desert trips showed that is not liked upon the desert car thief’s.

 We parked the jalopy in wadi Rahaf parking on road 90 few km south of Masada (of course we took the car radio with us to the trip to prevent car burglary)
Immediately when parking the car we had nice surprise, black birds called tristrams are very courageous in this area and getting very close to us and later on we discover that they doing the hike with us and very aggressively demand to join our meals.

We started the climb on Rahaf ascent marked as the green trail and after about 400 meters black trail splits from the green and lead us threw the wadi canyon to the lower Rahaf fall.
This fall is very impressive and negative slopped and in its bottom a small pool, but when approaching the pool we disappoint to find it green and fill with insect larvas.
but never the less the fall is very beautiful and allow us to take many good desert photos.


We got back on our tracks to the green trail and continued climbing the steep but comfortable accent, along the trail beautiful scenery of the dead sea, the water fall we visited earlier and the wadi canyon are revealing to us and also some desert animals that take advantage of the cool season to take a hike too.


Half way up the accent again blue trail is splitting from the green and lead us to the wadi canyon where amazing view of large cisterns glowing in white and green under the cliffs shade to create a magical resting and swimming point.

Here we stop for a quick snack and swimming in the surprisingly clear water, and as soon as the sandwiches are opened the tristrams come from the sky to share them almost from our hands.


After the rest we got back to the trail split and continued the accent climb to the desert heights. Here we turned right to the black trail crossing wadi Rahaf and continue on a jeep road until the black trail to Massada.
At the cross point of the jeep road and the black trail small white trail with bad marks lead to the north bank of the canyon where from 200 meters above a panoramic view of the canyon with its amazing falls spotted with green cistern and beautiful combination of sun and shades.



We continue on the desert heights north to the ridge viewing Masada from its south, from this unusual observation point we can see Masada fall, the Masada cliff spotted with caverns, the dead sea and the cable cars in which more lazy hikers choose in order to get to Masada.

On the cliff at our feet is the wall build by the roman legion when sieging Massda in order to capture all the Jews there. The birds quickly spot us and rush to ask for more crumbs and to pose to our camera in front of Massada view.



We go down to Massada fall threw the steep and hard kanaim accent, and on threw the roman siege battery up to Massada.
The late hour rushes us for a quick tour at the ruins and to go down at the snake trail to the Massada parking lot. On the way a tourist notice that the dead sea is dying, I agree and recommend Rahaf wadi where life are at their peek.

trip summary : from rahaf wadi parking climbing rahaf ascent and on the desert heights to massade.

defficulty        : hard rahaf ascent and the heat go toghether against the hiker.

month of trip  : april

conclusion     : amazing trip in the impesing rahaf canyon and unusual view on massada.

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key words: rahaf wadi, rahaf canyon, rahaf cisterns, rahaf ascent , massada , masada , kanaim ascent